Strikestar the Avenger

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This story took place when Tigerstar was an apprentice. I have not read all the warrior cat books, so sorry if I make a mistake. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1:

        The hot sun beat down on my shoulders. The lush forest was in mid-greenleaf. I was running from my mentor, Darkstripe. Then I busted through some ferns. Mistake. Tiny dewdrops from the ferns went scattering everywhere, including my eyes. Blinded, I stumbled into a grassy clearing. “Strikepaw!” Then another cat appeared from the trampled ferns, this one a dark tabby tom.

        “Strikepaw, do we need to go over the borders again?” my mentor yowled furiously. “Calm down, Darkstripe! You don’t have to show me those boring old borders. We went over them, like, six times! I want to fight with Hailpaw,” I mew. “Fine,” Darkstripe sighs, “but you better not get in trouble. I am only allowing you so I can get some food.” “Yay!” I squeal.
        Me and Hailpaw are best friends. As I head into camp with my mentor, I remember my first memory with Hailpaw. We had been kits, and I was play-fighting with one of my siblings, when I rolled away and looked up. Instead of seeing my brother, I saw a different cat, this one a blue tabby kit. Then I am yanked back into reality when I see Hailpaw heading my way. I pad over to him. “Darkstripe said I could train with you. But we have to take Tigerpaw with us,” he meows, his yellow eyes flashing mischievously. Tigerpaw was my brother. He was all right, but was obsessed with being a leader.
        We ran to Sunningrocks. We would hunt there often and warm up on the rocks. As long as we didn’t roll into the river, we were good. As we approached, I stopped dead. Hailpaw noticed me stop and ran to me. When Tigerpaw noticed both of us missing, he ran back. “What’s wrong?” Hailpaw mewed, concerned. “RiverClan. I smell two warriors,” I replied, my voice shaky. “Then we take them. We outnumber them,” Tigerpaw meowed confidently. Hailpaw nodded in agreement. It was natural for Tigerpaw to suggest fighting and usually I ignored him. But since Hailpaw agreed with him, I agreed. If only I knew how life changing it would be for me.
        We snuck up behind them, hiding in the bushes downwind. There were two, one a tom and the other a she-cat, lazing at the rocks. But we had a plan. I emerged from the bushes and yowled, “Leave ThunderClan territory. Now!” The big tom approached me and snarled, “You get off RiverClan territory or we will chase you off. What are you going to do, cry for your mother and hope she comes?” Hailpaw and Tigerpaw launched themselves out of the bushes and rushed to a cat. Hailpaw was fighting the tom and Tigerpaw was wrestling with the she-cat. I hurried to Hailpaw’s side. But before I got there, the tom clawed his neck and shoved him into a rock, hard. “NO!,” I yowled.
        The next second, I was slashing him with my long claws. I felt as if all of StarClan was with me. I raked his muzzle. He howled in pain as blood started to drip onto the rocks and started blindly swiping me. I slashed his neck and pounded his side so hard, I pushed him in the rushing river. I didn’t see him surface. The she-cat raced away, seeing her companion gone. I ran to Hailpaw. He was still, but as I approached, he was breathing heavily. “Hailpaw?” I mew softly. “Strikepaw. I love you,” Hailpaw meows, his voice raspy. “I love you too. You can’t die, not here, not now.” My voice was full of panic. “You can’t stop it. Don’t blame yourself...,” he meows. Then he shudders and his eyes go glassy. “Hailpaw? Hailpaw?!” I yowl. He doesn’t move. I hang my head, tears pouring down my muzzle. I feel someone behind me. I look back and I see Tigerpaw, his face filled with sadness. “I know he meant something to you. What I would is to push him away,” Tigerpaw meowed, his voice gentle and careful. I bristled at these words. “And forget him! You didn’t love him like I did. I don’t want to forget him!” I yowl at him. Tigerpaw steps back so quickly, he stumbles over his own paws. I grab Hailpaw’s scruff, dragging his body through the undergrowth.

        When we got to ThunderClan camp, everybody was in a wreck. Hailpaw never complained about cleaning the elder’s den, never ate prey when on hunting patrol, always did what was asked of him. When I came into the camp, they wanted to know what happened to their good apprentice, but I was not in the mood to tell. Tigerpaw explained instead. A vigil was held during the rest of the day and most of the night. It was only at moonhigh when me and the elders dug his grave. They left me there to grieve for him. When dawn came, I went to Foutrees. I went farther, into WindClan territory. I didn’t stop till I came to a small pond of water. I made a den for myself. I slept all day. When I woke up, I promised myself, and Hailpaw, that I would make a clan dedicated to him.